1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dental floss holding and positioning tools and more particularly pertains to a new Dental Floss Tool for orienting and securing a length of dental floss in a convenient to use manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of dental floss holding and positioning tools is known in the prior art. More specifically, dental floss holding and positioning tools heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art dental floss holding and positioning tools include U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,232; U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,338; U.S. Pat. No. D354,154; U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,866; U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,000; U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,851; U.S. Pat. No. 4,006,750; and U.S. Pat. No. D301,071.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new Dental Floss Tool. The inventive device includes a handle piece, an intermediate piece joined to and extending from the handle piece, and a head piece joined to and extending from the intermediate piece wherein the head piece includes a pair of spaced tines extending therefrom. Furthermore, a spool of dental floss is positioned within the handle piece. A working length of the dental floss extends from the handle piece and passes along the intermediate piece towards the head piece, across the pair of spaced tines, back towards the intermediate piece, and around a take-up wheel. While passing along the intermediate piece, the dental floss passes through an actuator button which, when actuated, causes the dental floss spanning the pair of spaced tines to move laterally.
In these respects, the Dental Floss Tool according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of orienting and securing a length of dental floss in a convenient to use manner.